**Originally Listed At $500**

West Africa, Liberia or Sierra Leone, Mende people, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A darkened wood mask with a small carved face, triangular-shaped chin, narrowed eyes and rounded ears. On the cheeks and at the corners of the eyes are carved lines that probably indicate scarification. The hair is deeply incised into a combed-looking coiffure with a rounded bun at its top. The carved hair is a fine touch, not always added to 20th century versions of these masks. Size: 13" L x 8.5" W (33 cm x 21.6 cm)

This type of mask is used by a female society within the Mende culture, on important occasions: handing down justice, attending funeral ceremonies, and going through initiation rites. During those initiation rites, the women who are already initiated, the Sande, wear these masks when they greet the newly initiated as they return from three months' seclusion in the forest. In use, the masks have long costumes attached to cover the entirety of the body so that the identifies of the women are not known. Often these masks combine male elements with female elements to show that the women have attained the same amount of knowledge as men.

Provenance: ex Adeon Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA, acquired prior to 1970

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#128628

Inactive insect damage in several places as shown. Dark deposits on surface form an almost black patina.